my understanding is that the "bad words" issue initially largely had to do with class, some of it ethnic-based. the etymology of the term "vulgar" has to do with the language spoken by the common people, as opposed to the language spoken by the elites. britain has historically had an english-speaking upper class with a specific dialect, with commoners that speak a melting pot of celtic and germanic languages in a wide variety of dialects, many of them coming out of quasi-pidgins: mixes of english, gaelic, welsh and norse. this has of course been twisted around through various filters. but the idea is really simply that the upper classes should not use the language of the lower classes.

when it comes to dick v pussy, i think it's interesting to reflect on penis v vagina. if you were to have this discussion ten-fifteen years ago, the feminist perspective would be to demand that you use biological terms. it's a vulva. it's a clitoris. it's a vagina. let's be scientific about this, alright? but, i don't think this discussion has ever really seriously been had with male genitalia. think about this: when was the last time you heard somebody other than a doctor use the word "penis"? it doesn't happen. take your pick of slang, but it's really ubiquitous.

i think part of this is that men actually desire the association of their bodily parts with dirty and violent concepts. dudes want to think of their genitalia as these blunt instruments, rather than as something physiological. penis is consequently somewhat emasculating. but, i'm not sure the opposite argument holds as well.

if i were to pick, i'd rather hear people use penis in place of dick more regularly than use pussy in place of vagina more regularly. but, if the crux of the argument is that there's a double standard, it's accurate.

i mean, there's a continuum of thought in trying to disarm the pejorative. but i think that arguing for liberalization of the term "pussy" is more likely to enforce the idea that women's bodies are dirty (as the various slang for penis enforces the idea of men's bodies as a violent tool of control) than to somehow take it away as an insult. sure, a lot of this has to do with context. but, once again, i'm not really comfortable with laci's rather unusual brand of feminism. it seems to be patriarchal thinking in disguise....